


sleep with the fishes

by lynne_monstr



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Noir, Banter, Guns, M/M, Minor Violence, alec is the wealthy bombshell, magnus is the cynical detective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 02:00:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20381830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynne_monstr/pseuds/lynne_monstr
Summary: His luck had run out. No one would miss a private eye with too much lip and a penchant for makeup.





	sleep with the fishes

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [sh_ficletinstruments](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sh_ficletinstruments) collection. 

> **Prompt:**
> 
> A weary, cynical P.I. gets a new case.

The cold touch of wet cement tickled the skin of Magnus’ ankles beneath his pinstripe suit. What a waste of good tailoring.

“Give us the diamond or you sleep with the fishes tonight.”

His luck had run out. No one would miss a private eye with too much lip and a penchant for makeup. Except—

(Memory curled like the heady scent of smoke caked on yellowed walls. _Promises whispered between kisses. The dark smear of lashes against pale skin.)_

“Alexander.” The name clawed unbidden from his lips as a second man dragged Alec into a pool of light. Alec’s hands were behind him, a gun pressed to the underside of his jaw.

“Spill, or your little lover-boy eats lead.” The brute holding Alec grinned like a shark.

Magnus couldn’t help it. “Little? I think you’ll find you’re quite mistaken.”

The butt of a pistol cracked against his cheek, blood blooming on his tongue. His mouth always did get him into trouble.

“Magnus, just tell him!” Alec shouted.

The missing clue slotted home like a knife between the ribs. The heist at the Lightwood Estate. Alec had practically begged him to investigate. He’d stormed into Magnus’ office like he owned the place, tossing down a pile of money larger than a crooked politician’s ego. Against his better judgement, Magnus accepted.

“It was you.” Magnus didn’t think he had a heart left to break. A dead mother and a dirtbag father saw to that. He was wrong. “You set me up.”

Alec’s face was unreadable. He nodded at the brute, who took a respectful step back. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I had to hire a P.I. so the theft looked real. You were never supposed to _find_ it.”

“I’m very good at what I do.” Even here at the end, he couldn’t keep the innuendo from warming his voice.

There was a flash of something fond in Alec’s gaze before it shuttered closed. He held a hand out. The goon handed him the revolver. Spinning the cylinder, he took aim at Magnus. “Where’s my diamond? Tell me where you hid it and I’ll let you go.”

“No, you won’t.” Magnus smiled sadly. He was tied up and wearing cement shoes. There was only one way this ended.

Alec closed his eyes. When they opened, they held tempered steel. Magnus swallowed his despair and braced himself.

The gun rang out twice, deafeningly loud.

He barely registered the lack of pain before the two thugs fell down, dead. His restraints held him in place as Alec walked towards him, gun held loose at his side. He cut a devastatingly handsome figure. Magnus felt the familiar heat coil in his gut and cursed himself for a fool. “Is this the end?”

Alec kneeled in front of him. The cold façade was gone, replaced by the man who shared his bed and his heart. “I’m hoping it’s the beginning.”

Tied to a chair in sight of two cooling corpses, Magnus kissed him.


End file.
